Shloka 17

शुकस्य मिथिलागमनम् (Śukasya Mithilāgamanam) — Śuka’s Journey to Mithilā and the Courtly Test

Devanagari script

एषोप्ययस्ते राजेन्द्र यथावत्‌ समुदाहत: । अध्यात्ममधिभूतं च अधिदैवं च श्रूयताम्‌

Transliteration

eṣo'py ayaṃ te rājendra yathāvat samudāhṛtaḥ | adhyātmam adhibhūtaṃ ca adhidaivaṃ ca śrūyatām ||

Translation

О царь, так я изложил тебе, в должном порядке и как оно есть на самом деле, это повествование о ходе растворения (санхары). Теперь же слушай, о лучший из царей, разъяснение тройственного устроения: относящегося к Атману (адхьятма), к воплощённому и элементам (адхибхута) и к божественному порядку (адхидайва).

Word by Word

• एषः: this (one/this matter)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यथावत्: properly, as it is
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• समुदाहृतः: has been duly stated/uttered
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-आ-हृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)

• अध्यात्मम्: the spiritual/pertaining to the self
• अध्यात्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यात्म
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अधिभूतम्: the elemental/pertaining to beings (material)
• अधिभूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिभूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अधिदैवम्: the divine/pertaining to deities
• अधिदैवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिदैव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard; please listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Lot (imperative), Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

याज़्वल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Rājendra (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The speaker transitions from a prior explanation to a structured teaching that interprets reality in three correlated domains: the inner self (adhyātma), the material/elemental world of beings (adhibhūta), and the divine or cosmic presiding order (adhidaiva).

What is happening in the narrative?

Yājñavalkya addresses the king respectfully, stating that he has already explained a preceding topic in proper sequence, and now invites the king to listen to the next section—an exposition of adhyātma, adhibhūta, and adhidaiva.